Sealing-buckle.



No. 678,?00. Patented July !6, l90l. A. F. THOMPSON.

SEALING BUCKLE.

(Application filed Dec. 4, !900. (No Model.)

E STATES I AMBROSE F. THOMPSON, OF HUNTEHS HILL, N EW SOUTH WALES.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,'700, datd July 16, 1901. Application filed December 4, 1900. Serial No. 38,686. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBROSE Foss THOMP- SON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Hunters Hill, New South Wales, have invented certain new and useful Inprovements in Sealing-Buckles for Use on Mail-Bags and the Like, (for which I have applied for Letters Patent of the Colony of Victoria, dated September 28, 1900, No. 17,587,) of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in seal-buckles, and refers more particularly to those for use on mail-bags, the objectof the invention being to provide a simple, efficient, and reliable buckle for scaling mail bags so that the strap securing the contents of the bag cannot be uubuckled without breaking the seal.

In certain systems in use at present for seal'- ing mail-bags much waX is wasted and time lost in adjusting, and my invention obviates these defects.

i A preferred embodinent of my invention comprises, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a buckle of ordinary Construction under-lying a metal bed for sealing-wax, the bed having a flat floor and sides slightly raised so arranged that the buckle cannot be opened without breaking the wax. This bed or receptacle for the waX consists of two parts, one being an extension of the framework of the buckle and integral therewith, the other being movable and hinged to the buckle-frame.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in each of the figures. 4

Fignrel is a plan of the buckle closed. Fig. 2 isa sectional plan ot' the buckle open. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view, showing the reverse side of the buckle to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. eL is a sectional elevation on line 4 4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevation With the parts in closed position as in Fig. 1, and Fig, 6 is a side elevation with the partsin the open position as in Figs. 2 and 4:.

A is the portion of the waX-receptacle which is an integral extension of the buckle-frame. B is hinged portion of the same.

F F are side bars of the buckle,*to which E is hinged by means of pin B'.

C is the tongue of the buckle which is attached to the cross-bar C', which is placed below the level of the side bars, as shown. It is to th)is bar that the strap is sewed. (See Fig. 6.

G is a catch on the under side of: E, which engages and is secured by spring E when the buckle is closed ready for sealing. The spring E is secured to the thiokened portion or cross bar A' of the fixed part A, and said bar A' and the adjacent portion of the bottom a terminate short of the fiange a' of part A to provide an opening A (see Figs. 2 and 3,) whereby to accom modate the catch G and permit the latter to engage the spring E. The object of this catch is to prevent the hinged plate B being accidentally forced open and the seal thus destroyed. The spring E is provided with a button D, by means of which the catch is released when it is desired to break the seal and open the buckle. The fixed part A is slotted, as at'c to permit a sliding movement of button D and the end of the spring E.

The method of using my invention is as follows: When the buckle is closed, (i. e., When the free end of the tongue is resting on the cross-bar, as shown in Fig. 2,) the hinged piece B is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1. The nelted wax is then poured into its receptacle and the seal impressed thereon. When it is desired to break the seal and open the buckle, the button D is pressed back and the catch G thus released from contact with the spring E. It is then a very easy matter to prize up the hinged piece B, and thus release the tongue of the buckle.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. A buckle, comprising a frame, a depressed portion forming a bed for WaX, and a movable tongue lying in close proximity to the said bed when in the closed position and movable through the plane of the waX-bed in closing and opening, as and for the purpose specified. 4

2. In a sealed buckle the combination with a buckle consisting of a tongue and cross- IOO bars, of a Wax-bed consisting of a fixed and a hnged part substantially as described and as illustrated.

3. A buokie for use on mail-bags and for other purposes, eomprising a. buekle frame and tongue, and a, bed for receiving a sea1- ing substanoe, said bed including two partis, one movable relatively to the other, one of said parts having a catch member and the l other a spring for engaging the catch memo ber.

Signed at Sydney, New South Wales, this 5th day of October, 1900, in the presence of two witnesses.

AMBROSE F. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

T. O. ALLEN, Jr., W. SIGMONT. 

